1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a hollow inflatable body which has a flexible envelope and can be pressurized from inside by a pressure medium.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Inflatable hollow members are used in a large number of different applications. They can be employed, amongst other things, for insulation or sealing purposes, or serve as a flexible support for people or articles. As a rule, such hollow bodies consist of a resilient and flexible material which is partially incompressible, such as, for example, rubber, plastics or the like. If such hollow bodies are to be applied in intimate sealing-tight contact with uneven surfaces, a considerable contact pressure is often required if, for reasons of strength, the envelope of the hollow body is not excessively resilient. In such cases, frictional forces make it dificult for the material of the envelope to fit tightly in the regions of dents or similar unevennesses in the matching surface. Such an envelope material also has a relatively high coefficient of thermal conductivity, so that, as a rule, it cannot be used for thermal insulations. Moreover, the coefficient of thermal conductivity cannot be changed in a given hollow body.